Features

Some think the Valles Caldera deserves a trail around its rim. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Fuller Lodge, Dorothy Hoard will tell of her 12-year still unfinished odyssey to make the dream a reality.

The resurgent dome of the Valles Caldera is, geologically speaking, very young. Its structure is largely intact. It is also a small caldera, 13-15 miles in diameter, so its bowl-shape depression can be easily seen atop a mountain. These attributes led a small group of dedicated hikers to the conclusion that a caldera of this caliber deserved a trail around its rim.

Hoard will discuss the effort to convince land managers of the value of such a trail, the current status of the trail concept and the results of a three-year reconnaissance effort to determine the feasibility of such a trail. She will also describe the effects of the Las Conchas Fire, which burned large sections of the caldera rim in 2011. The question becomes whether the concept of a rim trail is still viable.

Kiwanis awarded Michelle Boerigter the Jeannette O. Wallace Scholarship on Aug. 7. Wallace was a longtime Kiwanian and former state representative. Boerigter will attend Hope College in Holland, Mich. and will study biochemistry and religion/theology. Pictured from left to right: Key Club Members, Morrie Pongratz, Kristy Ortega (president) and Don Casperson; Terry Wallace, son of Jeannette Wallace; Michelle Boerigter; and parents Cathy and Steve Boerigter.

Internationally recognized cougar expert Ken Logan of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife division will talk at 2 p.m. Aug. 12 at Pajarito Environmental Education Center about his years of research on these animals. The talk is free and open to the public.

Take a snapshot of white tents on a green lawn, 100 artists, thousands of pieces of art and hundreds of shoppers and if you’re in Los Alamos, you can bet it’s the annual Fuller Lodge Art Center summer Arts and Crafts Fair.

Most of the vendors are full-time artists making a living from their art. About 75 percent of this year’s group were here last year and said they look forward to returning.

Following the sell-out success of their second annual High Tea and Fashion Show last year, the House of Hope ladies’ mission team and the co-ed Trinity Builders team invite the community to join them again this year for a tea, followed by a fashion show.

The afternoon’s activities are intended to raise funds for house building mission trips to Juárez, Mexico.

It’s Los Alamos County Fair weekend and the Los Alamos County Summer Concert Series is going to do a show of country-soul music at Ashley Pond. This means country music played with soul. If this sounds strange, think again.

Chamisa Elementary turns 45 this year, with Principal Debbie Smith in her third year, as the top cheetah.
Even though the start of school is next week, Smith is eager to begin by welcoming more than 50 new families to the fold.
What has the greatest appeal for Smith?
“Building on our relationship with neighboring San Ildefonso Pueblo and Northern New Mexico communities, celebrating student success and providing challenging individual opportunities,” Smith said.
Smith has spent a good portion of the summer preparing their yearlong calendar to be set before school starts, collaborating with parents, the community and working with the new PTO board.

The bright and smiling face of Principal Jill Gonzales is ready to greet Piñon Panthers as they enter the hallways for her third year.
“I remain humbled and honored to serve the wonderful students, staff and parents who comprise our Panther family,” Gonzales said. “Truly, it is a blessing to work in such a highly-engaged, dynamic and supportive community.”
Gonzales is excited and encouraged by the many opportunities the new school year brings, such as fresh starts, new experiences, higher learning and increased growth for students and staff alike.

Time is fleeting and you still might need to squeeze in some fun.
Take this last week to do something fun, something just plain silly, something memorable.
If your budget permits, get out of dodge and go do something different.
Head up to Water World, in Denver and take advantage of a great water park. It was rated as one of Forbes Magazine’s, coolest water parks.
Let your hair down and have a really good time. Try and surf, making a total fool of yourself and take pictures of your adventures. See what a hydro-magnetic water coaster is, if you feel the need for some science along the way. They even added a family buffet if you need to chow down while there.

Fuller Lodge Art Center calls their Summer Art Camp “The Best Six Weeks of Summer” and countless children from Los Alamos, surrounding communities and even foreign countries will agree. This summer, between 80 and 100 students from age four through sixth grade filled the classrooms at the Art Center each week, while teens met for classes at Village Arts. Whether painting, drawing, sculpting, dying yarn and knitting or creating things from recycled materials, these young artists were exploring their creativity with enthusiasm and laughter.

Those that are into robotics will have an opportunity to exhibit their favorite robot as well as their home preserves, garden produce and quilts.
Though pre-registration for the fair was Friday, gardeners, bakers, quilters and artists can still enter their submissions for the Los Alamos County Fair.
The County Fair and Rodeo runs Aug.9-12. Anyone living or working in Los Alamos County is eligible to enter. Exhibit categories include: culinary (baked items), preserved foods, hobbies and crafts, fine arts, photography, quilts, clothing, knitting, crochet, needlework, horticulture and 4-H projects. Age categories range from age five, up to seniors.

The League of Women Voters will have their monthly luncheon at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. The speaker will be Los Alamos Police Chief Wayne Torpy.
The luncheon will be at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center, 3540 Orange St. (small building across from the back of the high school).
Ruby K’s will provide food. A sandwich or salad can be ordered when you RSVPing. Chips, pickles and cookies will accompany the meal and water will be provided.
The total cost is $12, which includes tax and gratuity. Looking ahead, the September Lunch with a Leader event will be catered at Mesa Library Sept. 13.

Pajarito Environmental Education Center will offer its final Summer Family Evenings program for 2012 at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Sallye Sibbitt of the Duck Buddies, will visit with information about ducks, duck crafts and giveaways and live ducks.
Duck Buddies is a volunteer group formed to help the ducks at Ashley Pond.
They have cared for the ducks for many years and most recently, assisted with the design for the Ashley Pond renovations that were recently approved by the County Council.

The Los Alamos Animal Shelter, 226 East Road, 662-8179, has a great selection of on site adoptable pets waiting for their forever home.
Come find a companion that will give you unconditional love. Be sure to visit lafos.org, where you can get more information about volunteering, adopting and donating.
All adoptable pets are spayed or neutered, have their shots and are micro chipped. Visitor guides: Between 4-6 p.m. Friday, volunteers will be at the shelter to give potential adopters personal introductions to the adoptable animals.

DOGS
Coqueta — Six-year-old spayed female Retriever/Chow-mix surrendered. Good with adults and gentle children. Has been an outdoor dog.

The University of New Mexico-Los Alamos has commissioned Santa Fe artist Nick Gadbois to create a work of art for the UNM-LA campus.
The Local Selection Committee at UNM-LA sought to commission a work that would connect the campus and the Los Alamos community as well as conceptually relate to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Finalists were selected in March 2012 and a final selection was made in July. Budget for the project is $57,000. Installation will be completed during fall 2013.

Get those cameras ready, polish those smiles and say cheese (or tuna or kibble). Friends of the Shelter is accepting photo entries for the 2013 Shelter Alumni Calendar through Sept. 8. They need your help because without the communityís photos and stories, there can be no FOS calendar.
Pet owners who have adopted an animal from any shelter or any abandoned or homeless animal are invited to send a photo and a brief story about their pet. Being a Los Alamos resident is not a requirement nor does the animal have to be a Los Alamos rescue. Owners whose pets were featured in last year’s calendar are welcome to submit new photos of their pets for this year’s calendar.

Jacob Torrez, left, and Easton Langdon have created Soapy Boys Car Wash in White Rock. The pair travel to homes washing vehicles with prices ranging from $7-$12 and services with names of PO’ Boy, Brown bag or Filthy Boy. The youth supply everything but the water and hose and can be reached at 505-709-0518 (Jake) and 505-414-1747. They often travel on their bicycles and even had professional matching shirts made.